I originally passed this exam in January of 2023, but I had to retake the AZ-700 Azure Network Engineer Associate certification exam again in April 2025 because I had unfortunately let my previous certification expire. When I decided to pursue it again, I knew I was in for a challenging but rewarding journey. Having already passed the AZ-104 Azure Administrator Associate exam, I had a solid foundation in Azure fundamentals, but networking in the cloud presented its own unique set of challenges and concepts. Here are the resources and strategies that helped me successfully pass the exam.

Microsoft Learn Learning Path

The official Microsoft Learn path for AZ-700 is absolutely essential. Microsoft has done an excellent job creating comprehensive, hands-on learning modules that cover all the exam objectives. I spent significant time working through each module, taking notes, and completing the sandbox exercises. The interactive nature of these labs really helped solidify my understanding of Azure networking concepts.

Hands-On Practice in Azure

Hands-on experience in Azure was crucial for my success. I used a single lab environment to focus on:

• Network Security Groups (NSGs)
• Route tables
• Virtual network peering

The practical experience of troubleshooting connectivity issues and understanding how these networking components interact was invaluable for both the exam and real-world scenarios.

John Savill's Technical Training on YouTube

Once again, John Savill's content proved to be incredibly valuable. His AZ-700 study playlist and comprehensive study cram sessions helped me understand the deeper technical concepts. John's ability to explain complex networking scenarios in Azure with real-world context is unmatched. His content is free and incredibly high-quality.

Whizlabs Practice Exams

The Whizlabs AZ-700 practice exams were instrumental in identifying knowledge gaps and getting familiar with the exam format. The platform offered challenging, scenario-based questions similar to what I encountered on the actual exam. The detailed explanations for both correct and incorrect answers helped me understand the reasoning behind networking decisions in Azure.

Microsoft Documentation Deep Dives

For the AZ-700, I found myself diving deep into Microsoft's technical documentation more than I had for previous exams. Topics like Azure Firewall policies and hybrid connectivity scenarios required a thorough understanding that went beyond surface-level knowledge. I bookmarked and regularly referenced documentation on:

• Network Security Groups (NSGs)
• Route tables
• Virtual network peering
• Network Virtual Appliances (NVAs)
• Azure Private Link and Private Endpoints
• Hybrid DNS configurations

Conclusion

The AZ-700 exam challenged me to think like a network engineer in the cloud, considering not just how to implement solutions, but when and why to choose specific networking approaches. The combination of theoretical knowledge from Microsoft Learn, practical experience through hands-on labs, and strategic preparation through practice exams gave me the confidence to pass the exam successfully.

For anyone pursuing this certification, I cannot stress enough the importance of hands-on practice. Azure networking concepts make much more sense when you've actually configured and troubleshot them yourself. Take the time to build, break, and rebuild network configurations – it's time well invested.

Good luck with your AZ-700 journey!